1862—WESTLAND—1922.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1922, Page 4

1862—WESTLAND—1922.

THEN AND NOW

(Paper read by Mr J. Murdoch (Ross) at the National Beekeepers Conference.)

Only 00 years! you say. A lifetime to many ; to most who trod those golden shores in the feverish lust for gold there remains but a memory of that hardy hand of pioneers who brayed the hidden dangers of an almost impenetrable hush, roaring mountain torrents, treacherous quicksands, floods on land and storms at sea.

There were only a lew adventurous spirits who travelled through \\ estland prior to 1865; but in that year, when the news was circulated of rich gold having been found, they came from all parts, every man determined to make his fortune as quickly as lie could. Some told me they expected to dig up the gold just as we dig up potatoes. Some were going to make their fortunes in ten years, and then go home to the Old Country and live like lords. Some canie, never to return ; some were swallowed up crossing our rivers; some were lost in the hush, and have never been heard of from that day to this ; some, sad to relate, fell victims to the murderous attacks of a gang of bushrangers—Burgess, Levy, Sullivan. The man who turned Queen’s evidence afterwards told of their exploits in the vicinity of where this is being written. One story is told of a gold buyer who was in the habit of going from the hank on a certain day of the week along a hush track to a neighbouring mining township composed principally of calico tents. The gang determined to await bis return with the gold and waylay him in the hush, and so determined were they that in spite- of the wet and cold they lav concealed until long after dark, waiting for—what? They could still be waiting there, for the banker had gone home by another track! M'e had all classes and conditions ol men here on the goldfields. Many have since gone West. Some wore college bred men, wlm came out lor the benefit of their country; some cooks’ sons, who have left their mark in the land of their adoption. Truly, “AH the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players; but each man in his time plays many parts.” The early pioneers of this part of “Clod’s Own Country” were men of many parts. They had to have a knowledge of many trades; they endured many hardships; they had long hours of hard work ; they had to he content with many strange kinds of food when travelling through the hush; they had to carry swags of 80 lbs isometimes over that weight) up hill and down dale, over rivers, through hush, hanging oil to supplejacks, sometimes advancing two feet and then sliding hack again. These men must have had the constitution of a horse and nerves of iron. How many men have we to-day putting lip with the hardships of the goldseeker in the hack ranges? Some say we have too much sense. The old chaps say, "You haven’t got the innards for the job.” True, oh, King! ‘I lieu the men were haidencd by adversity-; now we are pampered in the lap of luxury.

Collie with me to tic top of Mount Crefiilaiid, a nice lour hours’ walk through virgin hush from Ross. This tourist resort is not very well know u : if it wore many more of our tourists would visit it in the summer. There is an iron hut on top fire to campers. On a clear summer morning one may look away to the north, and with the naked eye can trace the Hokitika River wending its way through Kauieri, Koiterangi. and entiling right round to the hack of Ross. Lake Mahimipua lies just below ; the Tutnrn Lagoon stretches right from Ross almost to the Lake.

With a good pair of field-glasses one can pick out the houses in Hokitika and Kanieri. Looking further north, you can pick out the Panama Ranges and I’oiiil Elizabeth, which lies beyond Grevmouth.

Turning south, the coast-line and hush ill never-ending wave upon wave greets the imtiinird eye. until cue is lost in wonder, love and praise at the grandeur of .Mount Cook standing lioldlv out in his mantle of white, greeting the voyagers to our shores, anil nroi'laiiiiiiig to all the world the exisli.'iiee of the Tinier of the Universe whom men call God. To-dav one can motor from Hokitbra to the Franz .lnscf Glacier fWniho Hotel) in six hours. Hi olden times six days might he occupied in doing the journey.

To-day we send sheep and cattle over Mu' (Mira Gorge to Addington. In ‘he early days mobs of cattle were driven from Canterbury to Westland, and were made welcome in every mining camp they passed. Xo abattoirs in those days! On arrival at a mining camp a-bullock would he shot, strung up to a tree, dressed and sold right, a wav.

Sixty years ago there was not a house-—not even a beehive—within eoo-ce of where T am sitting, unless there happened to be a hive in one of the trees. To-day beekeeping is still in its infancy here, compared with what it might he were an intelligent use made of the many profitable appliances and ideal locations still open for selection ill what has been termed "Wild and Watery Westland.” My friend who used the above title lives in sunny Nelson. He wanted to hear of someone getting a five-ton crop here, hut I am sorry f cannot oblige him yet ; but. perhaps lie would exchange cheques with a friend of mine who ill a season of only nine weeks got over four tons from 50 colonies.

The past season seems to have been bad all over the Dominion, so we cannot complain under the circumstances if we- do not get more than our friend with bis 50 colonies.

We are often amused at the impressions in the minds of visitors who come hero and happen to strike a wet spell. We cannot ignore facts, so 1 made application to Mr A. Chesiioy. of the Lands and Survey Department, to give me the record for the last six months of rain and sunshine ; the number of days shown as days with rain refers to the number of days upon which rain fell at any time within Hie 21 hours, between 9 a.in. and 9 a.m. For instance. a full day of bright sunshine may he experienced and rain may fall during the night or early next morning. so that day (of 21 hours) is recorded as a- day with rain.

Totals 68.07 1136 10 118 23 Tin- above table shows at a glance actually what sunshine we had during the months that count in making up your cheque at the end of the season. The spirit of the early miners has descended like a mantle on the sons. They were always looking forward to the day that they were going to strike it rich and make their fortunes. We are looking forward to better days, when our isolation will be relieved by the opening of the o‘tira Tunnel; when the despised and neglected shores of ] the Golden West will again ring with , the contented hum of its happy workers.

The want of population hampers many of our public works, as owing to the length ofjmr coast and the scattered homes of many workers, our railways, roads and bridges are. not what they would be with more population. I was very pleased to see from the pen of Prof. J-lewitson—-“The sources of power in our coal-fields and in oui lakes and rivers are an incalculable blessing. Our coal resources in quantity may not be very great, but in quality our coal stands high. oil will remember that the steam producing po\vi*r of West Const coni was esta )- lished some years ago, when a tnan-o’-war, which was in harbour in the Pacific, was caught in a hurricane. Steam was got up and the vessel headed out to sea in the face of the gale. Oui water-power is probably of much more importance than our coal power; it is so great, so well distributed throughouMioth islands, that the day will come when domestic life will he largely’ revolutionised by the introduction of electric light and power into almost everv homo in the Dominion.” II science during the next 2o years makes as rapid strides as it has done in the last 2d years, you will be able to fix a storage battery under your armchair, press "a button, and up you go! As fains the West Coast is concerned, there is not the slightest need to use one ounce of coal for our light or power purposes. We have water-power enough and to spare to generate all the electiicitv we need to run our railways, light mil- towns, drive our engines, cook oi it food, and warm our homes—all this water running to waste and very few harnessing it up. One of the exceptions is the Electric Dredge on Piniu Flat, near Hokitika. The power is derived from the waters of Lake Knniori, and should you visit the Coast see this dredge, and you will marvel at the wonderful power of electricity. Not onlv can our rivers and lakes he harnessed. but many of our creeks can lie utilised for power in the same way as the miners lift the water to the required height liv digging water-races with just sufficient fall lor the purpose. I'cr the beekeeper, who requires only a small amount of power, these creeks are ideal, as they can in many places he harnessed cheaply. “Some of the flavours of the West Coast honey are awful!” was the opinion expiessed in an article appearing in the Journal Inst year. I might also My that some' nf the butter Mimic,

sin'll!' ul' tlit- cliccsc, stum; of the bacon cured by some people, not neeessariL on the West Const, mo simply awful ! However, you can judge for yourself from this sample now before .Conference. I believe every man should stick up for his country : then if your district can produce a omul article, why not stick up for it ? In ancient f!recce, Mount Hymettus, near Athens, was famous for its honey. In France the honey of Narbonne is prized becaifse it is wiiite and scented. In Malta the honev has a line aroma, Imcause the bees collect it mostly from orange blossoms. In Madagascar and in Mauritius there is a bee which produces green honey with a peculiar scent. To-day wild honey bees are still plentiful in Palestine. When our Lord came back to llis wandering Disciples lie asked them for something to eat. and they gave Him a piece of honeycomb. The Hook of Proverbs says. ")lv son, cat thou honey because it: igend." lu the early ages people had no sugar, but honey is often mentioned in the Bible, and the Egyptians used it in embalming the dead. Then honey was used, but now it is produecd to a greater extent than ever, and it behoves ns to advertise it more, eat it inorc\ boost it nibn*.

fn ciiiiclusiim, b‘t me repeat a few lines from a picture of an old man sitting nn the grass. He is busy making the ohl-fashionod sleep, and, viewing the new frame hive, lie says: — "I’ve made those sleeps lor many a year Hut I si unit, make anv more:

For one tiling the boxes ’live knocked

’em out. And another—l’m seventy-four! "1 like to think of the hies as I cut These straws to their proper length; And the One who gives ’em power to work Is the One that gives me strength. "I sometimes watch ’em a (liltin’ about On the (lowers—red, yella. and blue: Ami T says to myself.' They’re in’—-A-workin’ for me and for you.’ "Anil I tries to take this lesson to boa l't. As I looks at the humble bee ; The honey they makes, why it ain’t for t hem selves; But for others—for you and for me!” —(Applause.)

Ti idles Sunsliino. Sunless 1021. rain. lirs. min. rain, (lavs Oct 15.31 ior, 4 27 8 Xov. ... 12.71 181 a 23 <i Dee. ... 102213.52 200 22 23 5 .Tan. ... 10.80 273 24 11 2 Fell. ... 3.73 228 8 ... Mar. ... 12.87 147 12 20 2